We're OPEN for Sunday Worship at DC Church

Back Together - The Phase One Reopening of DC Church

The Governor of our Commonwealth, Ralph Northam, has announced the beginning of Phase One of Virginia reopening from the virus. Phase One will allow our church to begin meeting for worship again, with some restrictions. Below is our guide for reopening DC Church.

Virginia’s Phase One Guidelines for Churches

• Occupancy is limited to no more than 50% of the lowest occupancy load on the certificate of occupancy of the room or facility where the service is happening
• Those attending services must be seated at least 6 feet apart at all times, excluding family members, who may be seated together. Virginia defines family members including blood relations, adopted, step, and foster relations, as well as all individuals residing in the same household.
• Seating must be marked in 6-foot increments.
• It’s recommended that those at services be encouraged to wear face coverings over their nose and mouth at all times
• No items may be passed to or between attendees who are not family members
• Any items used to distribute food or beverages must be disposable and used only once and discarded
• A thorough cleaning and disinfection of frequently contacted surfaces must be conducted before and after any service
• Signage posted at the building’s entrance that states that no one with a fever or symptoms of COVID-19, or known exposure to a COVID-19 case in the prior 14 days, is allowed to enter.
• Signage posted to provide public health reminders regarding social distancing, gatherings, options for high-risk individuals and staying home if sick

Applying the Guidelines for DC Church

• We will have multiple services each Sunday morning. Each service will be 45 minutes long with registration online for the service you attend requested. Attendance is limited to 50% capacity with social distancing. Families may sit together.

• 8:45 am – Senior Service at Deep Creek and West Portsmouth
• 10:00 am – Worship at Deep Creek and West Portsmouth
• 11:15 am – Family Service at Deep Creek and West Portsmouth

• The senior services will allow our seniors to attend worship in a freshly clean environment with minimal risk for exposure to the virus.
• The Family Services are for parents and children to attend worship together in a format that resembles KidTime Worship.
• Services will be led by a praise team similar to the online services. Message will be 20 minutes, with the messages at the Family Services even briefer.
• There are no Sunday Connect Groups, or KidsMin other than the Family Service. Connect Groups are encouraged to have Zoom meetings online if possible. Debbie Myers can provide Zoom information.
• Student Ministry begins meeting on May 24th, too, at 6:00 pm. The Student Ministry will apply these guidelines to their ministry.

Guidelines Continued

• Handshaking and other physical greeting is not recommended.
• People attending worship are asked to distance a minimum of 6 foot from other people attending. Alternate Worship Center rows will be closed to encourage social distancing.
• If you feel ill or have a temperature, it’s best that you stay home and recuperate.
• Masks are recommended but not required. There will be no judgement on whatever you decide to do. The worship team and pastors will not be wearing masks on stage but may off stage.
• There will be no worship program.
• All exterior and interiors doors into the Worship Center will be propped open. At the main entrance, one set of doors will be marked in and one marked out. The Family Life Center wing will be closed.
• The Lord’s Supper will be done with pre-sealed cups that contain both the juice and wafer. These cups will be distributed at multiple tables in the Foyer and Concourse. The first Lord’s Supper after our return to worship is June 7.
• There will be stations at the doors to the Worship Center for depositing your offering. Remember that you can give online through the website, MyDeepCreek and the DC Church App.
• There will be multiple locations with hand sanitizers and paper towels throughout the Foyer and Concourse.
• Coffee in the Foyer will be unavailable in Phase One.
• Door handles, and bathrooms, will be disinfected multiple times on Sunday mornings in Phase One.
• Feeling uncomfortable at the present attending public worship is understandable and okay. Staying home and watching online is perfectly PERFECT. We are a no-pressure and no-judgment people.

From Pastor Ernie

The virus has tested us! But, God is greater than any challenge we face. DC Church will survive and thrive.

By the time we get together, we will have been separated from each other and public worship for 9 Sundays. As the virus wanes, we can finally return. It will be a very different way to worship when we return. But, it will still be sweet to join before God as a people in physical unity. It will be so good. I have read, studied and thought through the Coronavirus a great deal in the past weeks in an effort to understand the risks and how we can deal with it. It is okay to be uncomfortable with coming back to worship with others in the confines of a church building.

Online worship is just as valid a way to worship as in person at a church building. Nevertheless, I am not afraid of coming back and being with you. We have taken precautions, we are following the states guidelines. I am close to 100% certain that you will be safe. So I hope to see you on May 24th and Phase One of reopening DC Church for the business of the Gospel. Bring on Phase 2!